Cambridges News is a blog aimed at documenting the work of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, and to share with you a lot of information about The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis.
Catherine Elizabeth Middleton
Catherine, shortly Kate, was born to Michael and Carole Middleton at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, on 9 January 1982. She is the eldest of three children.
She was christened at the parish church of St. Andrew’s Bradfield in Berkshire on 20 June 1982.
On 6 September 1983, Philippa Charlotte Middleton, shortly Pippa, Catherine’s sister, was born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading.
In May 1984, when Catherine was two years old, she moved to Amman in Jordan with her family because of her father’s job at British Airways. From 1984-1986, the Middleton lived there and accumulated many memories.
In the photo below, Catherine, her father, Michael, and her sister, Pippa, are in the archaeological site of Jerash.
Embed from Getty ImagesPrince William visited Jordan in June 2018 and said: “She loved it here, she really did. She is very upset that I am coming here without her.”
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1985, she attended the English speaking Assahera nursery (one of the most expensive pre-schools in the area) in Amman from the age of three.
The founder of the now-closed nursery, Sahera al Nabulsi, has previously spoken to The National UAE about Catherine’s experience.
“The morning routine was to have all the children sitting in a circle where they would all sing Incy Wincy Spider, both in English and Arabic,” Mrs. Nabulsi shared. “We would read one verse from the Quran to improve the children’s Arabic and tell stories about the Prophet’s companions, like Omar Bin Khattab. The idea was to reinforce concepts such as respect and love. Foreign children also learnt Arabic words when we grouped the children together. The teacher used to ask in Arabic, ‘Who is wearing red today?’ so that the children would recognize the colors.”
She was in a class of 12 children that was made up of British, Jordanian, American and Indian youngsters among other nationalities. Mrs. Nabulsi would dress up as Santa Claus for the children when they celebrated Christmas. Ramadan was also observed.
At 9:30 am, the children would sit down for breakfast that included hummus, cheese and labneh. During break-time, the kids would play in the sandpit and feed the rabbits and ducks. Twice a month, Catherine and her classmates would go on school trips to nearby places of interest like the Haya Cultural Centre. “Kate’s father used to pick her up sometimes in his work uniform and the kids used to get very excited and run to see him,” Mrs Nabulsi revealed. “But most of the time the mother (Carole) picked her up. She was always on time.”
She even learned how about to see Happy Birthday in Arabic before she learned it in English!
The Middletons returned to Berkshire in September 1986 when Michael’s posting came to an end. Their stay in Jordan was clearly a happy time for the family and is mentioned in the Duchess’ biography on the royal family’s website.
On 15 April 1987, James William Middleton, Catherine’s brother, was born at the Reading.
Also, in 1987, her parents founded a company, Party Pieces, which provided them with the wealth that they now have and used to support their 3 children.
An advert celebrating 30 years of the family business showing a 1989 picture of Carole with her three children, Catherine (far right), Pippa (second from right) and James (second from left)
Click here to learn more about party pieces.
In 1986, Catherine started at St. Andrew’s School in Pangbourne near her family’s home in Berkshire, where she remained until July 1995.
St. Andrew’s is a co-ed pre-prep and prep school for children between the ages of 3 and 13.
It is also a boarding school but Catherine only boarded part-time during the last 2 years of her time at St. Andrew’s School.
It was at St. Andrew’s that Catherine discovered her passion for sports. During her 9-years at the school, she was part of the swimming team, tennis team, field-hockey team (which she became captain of), netball team, and the rounders team.
Catherine was not only shining in sports but in Music and Drama as well. She was part of the Andrew’s inaugural Chamber Orchestra and a senior flute group. Catherine had the leading role in a multitude of plays including My Fair Lady, Cinderalla, and Murder in the Red Barn.
In 1995, when Catherine was 13, she began studying at a new boarding school, Downe House but she was not happy here.
When she arrived at her first high school (known as “secondary school” across the pond), Downe House, she was 13. Since the school accepted younger students and many of her classmates had been going there since they were 11, Kate was already the “new kid.”
There were many reasons why the students there didn’t like her: it wasn’t that easy to love a sporty, thin, long, beautiful, new student.
After spending two unhappy terms here, Catherine left school and started Marlborough College.
She had been terribly bullied at the school so was quite reserved and shy when she arrived at Marlborough College.
After some time, Catherine Middleton settled down and her true sporty self began to re-appear. She became joint captain of the tennis team with her friend and was also part of the swimming, netball, and field hockey team. She also participated in High Jump competitors and apparently still holds the school record!
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It was at Marlborough that Catherine made her life-long friends, three of which are now godmothers to her children: Emilia Jardine-Patterson, Sophie Carter, Hannah Carter…
Catherine left Malborough in 2000 with 11 GCSEs and went on to get As in Maths and Art, and a B in English in her A-Levels.
Leaving Marlborough College in July 2000, she undertook a gap year in which she studied at the British Institute in Florence, undertook a Raleigh International programme in Chile, and crewed on Round the World Challenge boats in the Solent.
In September 2001, Catherine Middleton arrived in Fife, Scotland to begin attending the University of St. Andrews. She studied History of Art during her time in College.
Upon arriving, Catherine took part in freshers week and was named the prettiest girl in her halls of residence, St. Salvatore’s or, mainly known as, Sallies. It was here that she met and became close to Prince William. The pair used to go on morning runs and trips to a coffee house together.
In her second, Catherine moved into a flat on 13A Hope Street with William and two other flat mates. The quartet would share cooking, cleaning, and shopping duties and frequently held dinner parties for their other friends.
In 2003, William and Catherine become lovers on a skiing holiday.
By the 2003-2004 school year, it was said that William and Catherine had developed a romantic relationship and wanted more privacy. So, the couple, and two other friends, moved into Balgove House, a cottage on a private estate.
Both William and Catherine made lots of friends at St. Andrews but perhaps their closest friend who they are still friends with today was Oliver Baker. In 2013, he was made godfather of Prince George and in early 2014 Kate because the godmother of his son.
Catherine is also a founding member of the Lumsden Club. The women at St. Andrew’s thought it was unfair and sexist that the men had a similar Kate Kennedy Club so they decided to make their own. The Lumsden Club, which is named after the University’s first female warden Louisa Lumsden, aims to “support women and children’s charities and the arts, both locally and abroad”.
Catherine Middleton graduated on June 23, 2005 with a Master of Arts Degree in History of Art.
After University, Catherine moved to London where she began working as an Accesory Buyer at the clothing Chain, Jigsaw. After a year working at Jigsaw, she left to start working for her families company as a digital and relationships manager and photographer because working in London had become increasingly difficult due to the Papparazzi camping outside her flat everyday.
She worked at her parents company until January 2011, 3 months before her wedding.
On 29 April 2011, Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey. Millions of people around the world watched their wedding.
The couple are now known as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
On the morning of the wedding, The Queen gave Prince William three new titles: The Duke of Cambridge, The Earl of Strathearn (when in Scotland), and Baron Carrickfergus (when in Northern Ireland).
This means Catherine became Her Royal Highness Princess William of Wales, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Countess of Strathearn, and Lady Carrickfergus. Now, she use her higher titles: The Duchess of Cambridge.
Embed from Getty ImagesShe has three children; a son, George Alexander Louis, born on 22 July 2013, a daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, born on 2 May 2015, and a son, Prince Louis Arthur Charles, born on 23 April 2018. Their official residence is at Kensington Palace.
William Arthur Philip Louis
Prince William is the elder son of The Prince and Princess of Wales. He was born at 9.03pm on 21 June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London and he was automatically second-in-line to the throne. A bulletin, placed on the gates of Buckingham Palace announced that he weighed 7lb 1 1/2 oz.
On 4 August 1982, he was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace.
On September 15, 1984, his brother Harry was born and become a brother.
Prince William began his education at Mrs Mynors Nursery School in west London before becoming a pupil at the pre-prep Wetherby School in 1987. From 1990, the young Prince attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire for five years until he started at Eton College in 1995 where he took his GCSEs and A Levels. During his time at Eton, Prince William was made a House Captain of Games, House Captain and Prefect.
On August 31, 1997, her mother, Princess Diana, died. He was only 15 years old when her mother died.
He left Eton College in 2000 with A Levels in Geography, Biology and History of Art. Like many students, Prince William chose to have a gap year before beginning his university course in order to travel and gain a variety of new experiences. He undertook a number of new activities during the year, including ‘preparation for survival’ exercises with the Welsh Guards in Belize, working as a volunteer with Raleigh International in Chile, working on a dairy farm in the UK and visiting countries in Africa.
In September 2001, Prince William began a four-year Master of Arts degree course in History of Art at St. Andrews University in Scotland. After two years, The Duke decided to major in Geography rather than History of Art. For his final dissertation, His Royal Highness chose to study the coral reefs of Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean. He also went on a field trip to Norway to see the Jostedalen ice cap – the largest in mainland Europe.
While at university, Prince William enjoyed a number of hobbies including water polo and was selected to represent the Scottish national universities water polo team in the annual Celtic Nations tournament against Wales and Ireland.
Prince William also met his future wife Catherine Elizabeth Middleton in April 2002, while studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland. The couple become lovers on a skiing holiday in 2003.
The Prince graduated in June 2005 with a 2:1 Master of Arts (Honours) in Geography after four years of study. The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended his graduation.
Following university, Prince William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Officer Cadet. After completing his 44-week training course, he was commissioned as an Army Officer in December 2006 and joined the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a Second Lieutenant. A year later, he was promoted to rank of Lieutenant.
Prince William decided to pursue a flying career in the military and began training as a Search and Rescue pilot in early 2009. Following various skill-based training exercises and exams, Flight Lieutenant Wales, as he was known in the RAF, joined C Flight, 22 Squadron at RAF Valley in Anglesey in September 2010 as a Search and Rescue Pilot. He spent three years as a Search and Rescue Pilot, during which time he undertook 156 search and rescue operations, undertook a routine operational deployment to the Falkland Islands, and qualified as an operational Captain.
On 29 April 2011, Prince William married Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. Millions of people around the world watched their wedding.
His RAF career ended in October 2013 but he continued his flying career as a Search and Rescue Ambulance Pilot in East Anglia from 2015-2017. In 2017, The Duke of Cambridge took up full-time royal duties after moving back to London with his family.
He has three children; a son, George Alexander Louis, born on 22 July 2013, a daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, born on 2 May 2015, and a son, Prince Louis Arthur Charles, born on 23 April 2018. Their official residence is at Kensington Palace.
George Alexander Louis
Prince George was born at 4.24pm on 22nd July 2013 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London. As the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, he came third on the throne, and the news of his birth was celebrated by millions of people all over the world. The people waiting for days in front of the Lindo Wing were very happy to receive this happy news. On July 23, the whole world gathered in front of Lindo Wing to see the new prince who says hello to the world.
On 24th July, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that they would name their child George Alexander Louis. He would be formally known as Prince George of Cambridge.
Prince George was christened on Wednesday, 23rd October 2013 at The Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace by The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. In keeping with Royal tradition, Prince George wore the hand-made replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen. The Lily Font and water from the River Jordan were also used during the baptism.
In April 2014, Prince George accompanied his parents on their official three week tour of New Zealand and Australia.
Prince George became a brother on 2nd May 2015, and he accompanied his Father to St Mary’s Hospital to meet his new sister, Princess Charlotte, for the first time.
On 6th January 2016 Prince George started at the Westacre Montessori School nursery in Norfolk. To mark the occasion, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared photographs of Prince George standing in front of the mural on the outside of the nursery building.
In September 2016 Prince George, with his sister, accompanied his parents on their official visit to Canada, and in July 2017 they again joined their parents on an official tour to Poland and Germany.
From September 2017, Prince George has been attending Thomas’s Battersea School. He became big brother for the second time on 23 April 2018, following the birth of Prince Louis. The Duke of Cambridge brought Prince George and Princess Charlotte to visit their mother and new brother at the hospital.
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born at 8.34am on 2nd May 2015 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lb 3oz. As the second child of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge she is fourth in line to the throne.
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The Duke of Cambridge took her big brother, Prince George, to visit her at the hospital on the day Princess Charlotte was born.
4th May, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that they would name their child Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. She will be formally known as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge formally registered the birth on 5th May, when The Duke of Cambridge signed the birth register at Kensington Palace, witnesseOnd by a Registrar from Westminster Register Office.
Princess Charlotte was christened at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham on Sunday 5th July 2015. Princess Charlotte was baptised at the Lily Font, with water from the River Jordan, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Princess, wearing the Royal christening robe, was taken to Church in a Millson pram, previously used for Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Members of the local community were invited to join in the occasion outside the church.
Gary Goldsmith, her maternal great-uncle, has said about Charlotte: “She is really cheeky and confident, just like the rest of the family. I think she’s the one I’m most excited to watch grow up.”
Embed from Getty ImagesIn March 2016, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the French Alps – their first holiday as a family of four. It was the first time either of the children had played in the snow, and was a very special and fun short holiday for the family.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn September 2016, Princess Charlotte joined her parents and her big brother on her first overseas tour, accompanying them on an official visit to Canada. The Duke and Duchess were delighted to have the opportunity to introduce Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the people of Canada. During the visit it was wonderful for George and Charlotte to get to play with children from Canadian military families. Princess Charlotte also joined her family on The Duke and Duchess’s official visit to Poland and Germany in July 2017.
In December 2017, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that Princess Charlotte would attend Willcocks Nursery School in London. She started in January 2018.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn 23 April 2018, Princess Charlotte became big sister to Prince Louis. Following the birth of Prince Louis, The Duke of Cambridge brought Prince George and Princess Charlotte to visit their mother and new brother at the hospital.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn September 2019, Princess Charlotte started school at Thomas’s Battersea, joining her older brother Prince George.
Louis Arthur Charles
Prince Louis was born at 11.01am on 23rd April 2018 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lbs 7oz. As the third child of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge he is fifth in line to the throne.
The Duke of Cambridge took Prince George and Princess Charlotte, his older brother and sister, to visit him at the hospital on the day Prince Louis was born.
On 27th April 2018, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that they would name their child Louis Arthur Charles. He will be formally known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
Prince Louis’ birth was registered at Kensington Palace on 1 May 2018, witnessed by a Registrar from Westminster Register Office.
On 9 July 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed generations of the Royal Family by having their youngest child, Prince Louis, baptised in the historic surroundings of the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace. The official photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak.
Lupo
Lupo is a male dog and was born in December 2011. It appeared in the media as the first baby of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Lupo is an English Cocker Spaniel owned by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He has been credited with raising the profile of the breed in the UK by The Kennel Club, and has appeared in photographs alongside his owners’ son Prince George.
The name “Lupo” is from the Italian word for wolf. The dog continued to accompany the Duchess of Cambridge while her husband was deployed with the Royal Air Force to the Falkland Islands.
While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were awaiting the birth of their first child, they relocated to the Duchess’ family home in Berkshire, along with Lupo. While there, the media reported that he managed to get his head trapped in a set of gates, requiring the local fire brigade to be called out. A spokesperson from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service explained that “The special unit from Reading was dispatched along with an appliance from the nearest station, Newbury. Our crew got to the manor but were told as they arrived at the gates that the dog, which had got its head stuck, had been freed just a few moments earlier.” Lupo was used to select the name of the Duke and Duchess’ first child; they scattered pieces of paper with various names on the floor with the dog stopping at George.
He has travelled with his owners to their holiday residence in Norfolk, but didn’t travel with them on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2014.
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